Francisco de Assis Parcerias: “Every film needs to be born from within me.”

Why study Cinema?

I followed what I believed would make me happiest. From a very young age, I loved watching films. Obviously, my interest didn’t begin with Bergman or Kubrick, but with Star Wars, which I watched with my father. When I was about twelve, I told my mother I wanted to be a director, even though I didn’t know what a director did. I never changed my mind.

“At the School of Arts, I immediately felt at home.”

Where does your connection to the Arts come from?

It began at Católica’s School of Arts. Before that, I was a humanities student, very shy, and all my friends were my classmates. Because of this, the environment at the School of Arts - and especially within my class - was fascinating. Until then, I had no one (or very few people) with whom I could share my interest in cinema. I felt immediately at home, surrounded by peers.
 

What learning experiences marked you most at the School of Arts?

Mostly the project-based courses, with critical discussions among students and teachers. The involvement of guest professors in our projects was also very significant. I highlight Sandro Aguilar and João Canijo - besides having remarkable films, they were admirable professors. What also struck me was the plurality among different courses and academic years. It’s impossible to finish the degree with a narrow view of cinema.

“Every film needs to be born from within me, so strongly that I can’t avoid it.”

During your degree, you developed several projects…

One of the projects that marked me most was the very first one. It was the first time I directed anything. It turned out terrible - today I don’t let anyone watch it. Looking back, no one was to blame - we were beginners. In the second semester, I was “forced” to direct again. I did it reluctantly, afraid that another professor might see the nonsense I was making. However, the teachers were very praising, and I left feeling proud.
When I started my second year, I saw myself as a Midas, or Goldfinger. But I soon realised that was far from true. I also realised that making a film isn’t like following a recipe book. Every film needs to be born from within me, so strongly that I can’t avoid it. If I force it, it’s not an idea - it’s bravado. Between the second and third year, when I started writing Valsas na Lua, I realised I had to change my attitude.
 

The film Valsas na Lua was selected for several film festivals.

Each selection was a surprise. At the start of the project’s “life”, we received so many rejections that the first “yes” left me stunned. And it was the New York Portuguese Short Film Festival. The only New York I know is the one with Scorsese’s films. But a film I made screened at the Lincoln Center, and that made me immensely happy. When we learned the film was selected and won a category at Cinalfama, it was another huge surprise. It was our Portuguese premiere, and a big part of the team travelled to Lisbon to attend. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so fulfilled. It was wonderful.
On November 20th, the film will be screened for the first time in a cinema theatre in Portugal, at the Festival Caminhos do Cinema Português. I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes.

How was the creative and production process of Valsas na Lua?

The creative process was very natural, especially with the guidance of João Canijo. It was about finding how this story needed to be told and, in a way, also finding the films that influence me most. Although it’s an autofiction, the project was naturally born from a mix of my favourite films and my life experiences. I also had the collaboration of Matias Ferreira (director of photography, editor, and friend), with whom I share many ideas and inspirations, such as Aftersun by Charlotte Wells.
 

Throughout your degree, you collaborated on several projects with colleagues. What is the value of collaboration?

For me, it’s very common and valuable. Often, it’s hard to get out of our own heads. Collaboration helps us realise that many of our ideas are, frankly, quite silly. Maybe that’s why many people prefer working alone and label their ideas as “too personal”. There’s nothing personal about an idea - if there were, it wouldn’t be shared or understood outside the author’s mind.
 

What’s the secret to telling a story in 17 minutes?

There are no secrets, it’s simple. Some stories last 17 minutes, others 7, others 70. The first cut of the film was 23 minutes long. The hard part was realising that 6 minutes were too much. This was a long debate during and after production. But this story is 17 minutes long.

“I aspire to tell my stories exactly as they are.”

What do you aspire to for your professional future?

I aspire to tell my stories exactly as they are. I also aspire to teach someday, almost as much as I aspire to make films.
 

Do you have new projects in sight?

I’m developing, as part of my master’s degree, a feature film that shares part of the story of Valsas na Lua. It’s also about a child who loses their father at a very young age.
I also have a short film in the works, for which I’m trying to secure funding. It’s about two friends who, lonely and miserable, desire each other. I want to focus more on stories about friendship. Friends are the family that welcomes us, there’s nothing more beautiful than that.
 

What film do you recommend for those taking their first steps in cinema?

Anything by Rossellini. They are profoundly humanistic and deeply moving films. Perhaps only when I watch his films do I feel some hope for a better future. In the same vein, I also recommend Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s impossible to watch these films without wanting to make one of your own.